This first introductory seminar on Comparative Area Studies (CAS) explains where CAS come from and what they set out to do. We will start with a brief discussion of what area studies are and what kind of critiques they have faced, then spell out the rationale of CAS, and finally trace their development at the GIGA and beyond. A particular focus will be put on the types (or levels) of comparison employed in CAS-related scholarship. Seminar participants will be provided with core texts on CAS and with additional literature on issues covered in the seminar.
